What is wrinkle

Skin wrinkles are grooves in the skin. Wrinkles are the thin, creased, and sagging skin that is especially noticeable on the face, neck, and hands. Wrinkles and fine lines are the most easily visible signs resulting from the obstacle course the skin has to face. Wrinkles can be divided into two categories; fine, surface lines and deep furrows. More precisely, there are three different types of wrinkles: fine lines occurring throughout the face due to gradual loss of elasticity; Expression lines where the muscles of facial expression cause permanent creases; Gravity lines are furrows formed as the tissues of the face sag and the sagging skin was pulled downward by gravity. Wrinkles can be on the surface of the skin or can be quite deep.

Often the most striking change of skin aging is dark lines or folds of sagging skin around the mouth or mouth lines. Technically the mouth lines, the line running from your nose to the corner of your mouth is called the Nasal Labial fold line, and the line running from the corner of your mouth down to the chin or jaw bone is called the Marionette Line. Facial expression lines between the eyebrows is frown lines and lines jutting from the corner of the eyes is called crows feet.

How wrinkle is formed

Normal ageing leads to the formation of skin wrinkles. First, Collagen and elastin are fibrous protein which are major components of extracellular matrix in the connective tissue of dermis. Collagen and Elastin are synthesized by connective tissue fibroblast and secreted to form the firm supportive level underlying skin cells. Sagging tissues from advanced aging individuals are caused by the destruction of the skin’s underlying support structure (primarily collagen and elastin). As the years go by, these elastic fibers that keep the skin taut begin to loosen. This makes the skin sag. Collagen beneath the surface of the skin breaks down over time, causing the formation of wrinkles, folds, and hollows, the signs of aging skin.

Secondly, chronological aging (normal aging) will cause epidermal cells to become thinner and less sticky. The thinner cells make the skin look noticeably thinner. The decreased stickiness of the cells decreases the effectiveness of the barrier function allowing moisture to be released instead of being kept in the skin. This causes dryness. The number of epidermal cells decreases by 10% per decade. In addition, typically, as a person ages, the sweat and oil glands of the skin also become less numerous. Sebaceous glands get bigger but produce less sebum, and the number of sweat glands decreases and become smaller in size. Both of these changes causes the skin to lose moisture and to dry out more easily, and it soon begins to sag in places where the collagen, the elastic fibers that support the skin, has weakened the most. Furthermore, As we get older our bodies produce less and less hyaluronic acid — a natural components in the deeper layers of our skin (dermis connective tissue) whose function is moisture retention and lubrication through its ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. The drop in HA starts at around the age of 18-20 years. But after the age of 40 the down slide becomes apparent. Skin starts to lose its elasticity and lines and wrinkles appear.

Third, as the years go by, the functions of the cellular system of our epidermis are disturbed and cellular renewal slows down. The number of epidermal cells decreases by 10% per decade and they become less able to repair and replace itself quickly. Not only does the inner layer dermis thin, aged people have reduced ability in fibroblast growth and collagen synthesis, at the same time, levels of collagen degrading skin enzyme metalloproteinase–also an extracellular matrix protein of connective tissue, is elevated, leading to accelerated collagen break down. The skin around the eyelids, jaw, and neck is especially thin, and therefore more naturally prone to aging wrinkle.

Forth, the rete-ridges of the dermal-epidermal junction flatten out, making the skin more fragile and making it easier for the skin to shear. This process also decreases the amount of nutrients available to the epidermis by decreasing the surface area in contact with the dermis, also interfering with the skin’s normal repair process.

Fifth, in the subcutaneous layer where is mainly composed of connective tissue with large amount of fat cells. The fat cells get smaller with age. This leads to more noticeable wrinkles and sagging, as the fat cells cannot “fill in” the damage from the other layers.

Six, lines between the eyebrows (frown lines) and lines jutting from the corner of the eyes (crows feet) are believed to develop because of small muscle contractions. Smiling, frowning, squinting and other habitual facial expressions cause these wrinkles to become more prominent. Over time, the expressions coupled with gravity contribute to the formation of jowls and drooping eyelids. We loose collagen the supporting structure of the skin, which causes loss of elasticity of the facial skin. This loss of elasticity allows the skin to sag or be pulled downward by gravity. As the lax skin falls, skin folds are formed over the lips and mouth creating the mouth lines, the nasal labial fold and the marionette line. Another major change in the face which contributes to mouth lines is loss of fullness of the cheek bone area. There is actually a pad of fat (malar fat pad) attached to the cheek bone when we are young. (Remember those chubby cheeks of childhood that all the grownups like to pinch?). As we age, the fat pad descends into the middle of our cheek. The combination of the loss of elasticity (which allows the skin to sag) and the downward fall of the malar fat pad cause an aged face appearance characterized by the mouth lines, the nasal labial folds, the marionette lines and loss of a full youthful looking cheek.

Finally, helped along by the sagging skin, these wrinkles and lines result in the formation of a type of canvas covered with cracks of varying depths. As time goes by, they deepen, reaching deeper dermis, which is the skin’s supporting mattress. When the deeper dermis loses its elasticity (destruction of collagen and elastin fibers), it becomes slack and deeper wrinkles begin to form. These wrinkles are more than 0.05 mm in depth, therefore they are the longest and widest.

In summary, during the normal chronological aging, dermis (inner layer of skin) begins to thin. The network of elastin (the protein which causes skin to stretch) and collagen fibers (the major structural proteins in the skin), which support the outer layer (epidermis), loosen and unravel, causing depressions on the surface. With aging, skin also loses its elasticity, is less able to retain moisture, oil-secreting glands are less efficient and the skin is slower to heal. All of these contribute to the development of wrinkles.

What causes wrinkle?

Wind, heat and chemicals and the natural effects of aging and genetics, fluctuation in body weight cause a certain amount of wrinkling in everyone. Much of wrinkling is predetermined genetically from one’s parents. Aging is the most significant factor causing wrinkle formation. Wrinkles are formed along the aging process as discussed above. But it is much worse in people who spend a lot of time in the sun.

Sun Damage

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (too much sun) can result in premature aging of skin. Premature aging of the skin by UV radiation is called photoaging. Skin ages all over the body, but much more so where there has been sun exposure. There are two main types of ultraviolet rays: UltraViolet A and UltraViolet B. UVA is associated with skin tanning, wrinkles and melanoma, a form of skin cancer. UVB is associated with sunburn, basal and squamous cell carcinoma; two other forms of skin cancer. The ultraviolet sunrays that cause photoaging damage collagen fibers and cause the excessive production of abnormal elastin. When ultraviolet light damages skin tissue, an enzyme called metalloproteinase is produced which degrades collagen. During the process, however, some healthy collagen fibers are damaged, resulting in a disorganized formation of fibers called solar scars. Wrinkles develop when the rebuilding process occurs over and over.

Wrinkles are found primarily on the parts of the body where sun exposure is greatest. These areas especially include the face, neck, the backs of the hands, and the tops of the forearms. Changes brought on by sun damage (photoaging) include “dryness” (really roughness), sagginess, skin growths like keratoses (“liver spots”), and wrinkles.

Other factors Causing Wrinkles: Wind, heat and chemicals and smoking.

Healthy skin perpetually regenerates. While old collagen is broken down and removed new collagen is produced. Researchers have found that smoke causes a marked reduction in the production of new collagen. A lack of new collagen results in the development of wrinkles.

Rapid weight loss can also cause wrinkles and produce sagging skin on face or stomach. The loss of fat cells reduces the cushioning effect that they provide causing the skin in that area to sag or crease.

What Are the Treatment Options for Wrinkles?

Wrinkle treatments are in general much more effective for fine lines. Deeper creases may require more aggressive techniques, such as plastic surgery.

There are numerous over-the-counter treatment options for wrinkles. Removing skin layers to reduce wrinkles or irregular depressions is an effective way to regain smoother, more youthful looking skin. Dermabrasion (scraping layers away) and chemical peels (dissolving skin away) are two of the traditional methods used in skin resurfacing. Aside from these procedures, two newer techniques: laser skin resurfacing with an erbium or carbon dioxide laser and Botox injections are the latest techniques developed to repair prematurely aging skin and wrinkles. Light and radio frequency treatment are also available options.

If you are considering treatment for your wrinkles, ask your doctor which procedure is right for you. There is no replacement for your doctor’s professional advice. Each person has his or her own individual needs; similarly, each procedure fulfills its own specific need.